As more and more services and goods move away from the real world in favor of some kind of online option (remember CD stores?!), automakers are looking to build their own digitized alternative. The latest to offer car buyers an online buying service is Ford, which just announced the initial rollout of its Ready.Shop.Go program.
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Look - no one buys CDs anymore. And while we can’t exactly stream our new car into our garage (at least not yet, still looking for that badass industrial 3D printer…), there has to be a better way to get into a fresh ride, right?
Ford certainly thinks so. Based on its own market research, the Blue Oval states that folks are more impatient these days than they were in the past, especially among the younger generation. That means the long, drawn-out process of buying a new car at a dealership just doesn’t fit in with the modern digital expectations.
Luckily, Ford is looking into ways to phase out the headache of a traditional dealership experience. It’s called Ready.Shop.Go., and it’s a new online service framed as being more convenient and less time intensive than what most people are used to.
“This new online car-shopping experience allows customers to search inventory, view pricing and incentives, lock in a deal for 48 hours (subject to availability), apply for financing, estimate trade-in values and schedule a test drive before even setting foot in a showroom,” Ford explains in a press release.
Ford promises total pricing transparency with the service, which is something all buyers will surely appreciate. The service will also provide personalized incentives, additional financing and lease options (online credit through Ford Credit), and price comparisons courtesy of Kelley Blue Book Price Advisor. You can also save your progress in the middle of the process and return later if you’re really short on time.
Ford is planning a rollout of Ready.Shop.Go. through select Midwest states later this month, with full nationwide availability slated for the end of the year.
Of course, Ford isn’t the only automaker heading towards an online dealer experience. For example, Lincoln is currently running a program where dealers will bring vehicles directly to the homes of customers for a test drive, while Hyundai has an online service that enables customers to fill out much of the purchase paperwork directly from their desktop or laptop.
Mazda is also spicing up the dealership experience by introducing virtual reality test drives in the U.K., affording buyers the experience of taking the machine in question out on the track, or customizing the interior to their liking before they even step into the cabin, which is useful if there isn’t a model with your selected options in stock.
What’s next? Well, no one knows for sure, but if we were to guess, we’d say full virtual reality buying experiences direct from your couch, downloaded and printed in your garage, and purchased with digital currency. But that probably won’t happen for a while…
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